Katharina Bertram

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialize in safaris within Uganda, including gorilla tracking, chimpanzee tracking, mountain hiking and cultural activities. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"Travelling was always part of my life. I used to travel with friends and family all around the world and exchange experiences with other friends. Since my early childhood I enjoyed exploring new places, getting to know other cultures and trying their food.

After school, I thought business studies would be a good idea, but I got bored very fast and decided to specialize in tourism. I found a great international university where I studied tourism and event management. Part of this studies was an internship abroad. During my internship, I worked with a small tour company in South Africa. At the end of this internship, I had the opportunity to do a tour that I organized myself. I planned the route and chose the accommodation and the activities. It was so exciting! The whole trip was just perfect - That was the moment that I knew that I want to become a tour operator.

The company where I did my internship had a partner office in Uganda and I stayed in touch with my former boss. When we met at an exhibition in Germany she mentioned that she urgently needed a German-speaking manager in the Kampala office, and asked if I was interested. Well... I had another half year to end my studies but we managed to get to an agreement. Everyone said I was crazy to sign a three-year contract to work in a country that I had never been to before, but I saw it as the perfect adventure and have never regretted my decision. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"I have traveled to many countries all over the world, all of them have something special that I will never forget, but what amazes me about Uganda is the vast variety of literally everything: animals, landscapes, cultures... When you travel through the country you can find yourself in a completely different environment every day. In the morning you can enjoy the rainforest and the beautiful views of the crater lakes around Kibale Forest National Park, and a few hours later you can drive over wide savannahs in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Nevertheless, the absolute highlight of Uganda is tracking the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The moment you reach the gorilla family, in the middle of this massive rainforest and the majestic silverback is sitting just a few meters away from you is simply amazing. This is definitely a must-do for every travel enthusiast. "